


Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021

by hesychia



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: ATLA Winter Femslash Week 2021, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Zuko (Avatar), Baby Names, Bodyguard Romance, Bullying, Comfort/Angst, Dancing, Dancing Underwater, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Is Gay, F/F, Femslash, Fencing, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Inspired by Killing Eve (TV 2018), Multi, Pirate/Mermaid Romance, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Prom, Reunions, Sea Shanties, Suki & Zuko (Avatar) Friendship, hijo de la luna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:21:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29139213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hesychia/pseuds/hesychia
Summary: Collection of works for ATLA Winter Femslash Week 20211. Kiss/First Kiss or College AU - Rangshi (Fencing AU)2. Baking/Domesticity or Angst with a Happy Ending - Azulee (Post-Canon)3. Pining - Azutara (Killing Eve AU)4. Childhood Friends - Mailee (Post-Canon)5. Modern AU - Rangshi (High School AU)6. The Moon - Yueki (Post-Canon)7. Dancing or Fantasy AU - Korrasami (Pirate/Mermaid AU)
Relationships: Azula/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Kyoshi/Rangi (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Suki/Yue (Avatar)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 159
Collections: Winter ATLA Femslash Week 2021





	1. College AU - Rangshi

**Author's Note:**

> There will be some strong language and lots of feelings.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Kiss/First Kiss or College AU  
> Yun invited Kyoshi to join the university's fencing club. He forgot to mention that the sabre coach's daughter was hot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you manage to wade through the pages of fencing jargon, I promise there's wlw payoff. If you enjoy this fic, please leave kudos or a comment! Love and stuff!

When Kyoshi entered the practice gym for the first time, she didn’t expect the noise. Voices of students and referees mingled with sneakers scraping on the floor. The most unique sound, however, was the clash of the fencing weapons. She had thought the swords would clang together harshly, like in the movies. Instead, they met with hollow clunks.

A small group of students sat on the bleachers, taking a water break. Many of them were looking her way, curious but not wanting to approach. Kyoshi inhaled deeply, forcing herself to walk towards them. As she got closer, more of the students looked up. She heard the whispers; “Holy shit she’s tall,” “Do you think she’s a professional?” “I hope she’s not a foilist.”

Kyoshi was used to being gawked at. She had a naturally intimidating presence, and most people used it as an excuse to avoid her. For Kyoshi, loneliness was like a knife in her side: less trouble to leave it be rather than let everything spill out. 

“Foilists! Back on strip!” The students evacuated the bleachers, passing by a figure that barely surpassed her in height. The man’s face held lines that betrayed his age and good humor, chin blanketed by a long beard. He shot Kyoshi a grin, and relief flooded her system. “Hello there; you must be Kyoshi.”

“Yes,” she hesitated, unsure how to address him. “...Sir.”

The man let out a boisterous laugh. “You don’t have to call me ‘sir’ unless you’re in trouble. The rest of the time, you can call me Kelsang. I’m the foil coach.” He stuck out a large hand, and Kyoshi took it. “Yun was adamant that you’d be here, though I should tell you that practice started an hour and a half ago.”

Kyoshi felt warmth in her cheeks, and averted her eyes. “They… needed me to stay an extra hour in the kitchen.”

“Oh, so you’re a chef then?”

“... Dishwasher.”

He nodded respectfully. “Honest work.”

Kyoshi wanted to drop the subject. “Where is Yun?”

“He’s on strip now,” Kelsang said, indicating a duel that was taking place. “You want to watch?”

She followed Kelsang, surveying the gym as they stepped towards the center. She picked out three distinct practice groups. At the center, a team wore all white and held large weapons. The group behind her had smaller weapons, and silver vests over their white gear. The third team was still warming up at the back of the gym.

Kelsang noticed her evaluation. “How much did Yun tell you about fencing?”

“A little. I know he fences epee.” They joined a handful of students watching a duel. Two masked fencers stood directly across from each other. For each fencer, an electric cord plugged in beneath the large bell of the weapon, disappearing into the sleeve of their white jacket. The cord reappeared behind their bodies, pulled taut from a metallic box at the edge of the strip. 

One of the fencers was stiff, awkwardly swiping the weapon up and down. His opponent was completely at ease, stance low to the ground as he casually knocked the other fencer’s attacks aside. _Yep. There’s Yun._

Kelsang leaned over, explaining the basics. “There’s three weapons: foil, epee, and sabre. To put it simply, epee and foil are the swords that you stab with, while sabre hits from the side of the blade. Of the three, epee is the largest and heaviest.”

Yun’s opponent lunged, nearly losing their balance as Yun gracefully moved out of the way. The tip of his blade landed on the other fencer’s arm. 

“Halt!” The voice belonged to a referee. He seemed to be similar in age to Kelsang, though his features were far more serious than the foil coach. 

“That’s Jianzhu,” Kelsang said. “He’s our epee coach.”

Jianzhu called, “Counterattack arrives. 4-0.” The fencers readied themselves again. “En garde, prêt, allez!”

Kyoshi frowned. “Wait, what just happened?”

“Yun got the point, so they return to en garde and another round begins.” Kelsang smirked. “Usually, we just say ‘en garde, ready, fence’, but Jianzhu likes being pretentious.”

The statement earned Kelsang a glare from the referee, who quickly turned his attention back to the match. 

Kelsang continued. “In epee, you score points from the tip of the weapon. You can hit your opponent anywhere on their body, as long as you hit them first.”

The other fencer went for Yun’s toes. Yun gracefully lifted his foot, stretching his leg and bringing his heel down in a lunge. His blade landed on the opponent’s arm. 

“Halt!” Jianzhu called. “Attack no, counterattack arrives. 5-0, bout.”

The opponents removed their masks, reaching out with their left hands to shake. Yun looked towards Kyoshi, his eyes wide as he shot her a breathy smile. “You made it!” He unplugged his blade, passing the cord to another fencer. His messy bun flopped as he trotted towards her, eyes twinkling as he pulled her into an embrace. Despite the sweat, he smelled like warm spice. 

“I’m here,” Kyoshi said stiffly, enveloping him in her tall form. She felt the eyes of the other students. No doubt several if not all of them had crushes on Yun, and here she was in his arms. Not that she blamed them; Yun was easy to fall in love with. 

“Jianzhu,” Yun said, pulling back. He threw his hands wide, displaying Kyoshi in front of the coach. “This is Kyoshi! She’s the one I told you about.”

Jianzhu considered her, nodding courteously. “Kyoshi, welcome. We’ve been needing another epeeist, especially someone with a lot of…” He tried to put the words delicately. “... Reach.”

“Hey, I saw her first!” Kelsang chuckled. “I already claimed her for foil.”

“She can decide on her own!” Yun said indignantly, but leaned toward her to loudly whisper, “But epee is the best.”

Kyoshi smiled shyly. “If it’s alright, I would like to look at the other weapons.”

“Sure!” Yun pulled her away, calling back to Jianzhu, “I’ll be back!”

Foil was next. Yun showed her the lithe blade, explaining the basic rules. They watched several bouts before she asked, “What about the third one? I didn’t see another set of strips for them.”

Yun rolled his eyes, indicating the far end of the gym. “They’re just setting up now. Hei-ran keeps them doing warmups for most of the drill time.”

“Can we watch?”

“Of course!” Yun practically dragged her to the sabre area. “You’ve gotta watch one of Rangi’s bouts.”

“Rangi?”

“Yeah, she’s insane on strip.” He shrugged. “I mean, she’s the coach’s daughter, so it’s no surprise.”

An older woman with black hair eyed them as they approached. Yun introduced her as the coach, Hei-ran, before asking when Rangi would be fencing.

Hei-ran cocked an eyebrow. “She wasn’t planning on fencing today. She’s doing private lessons.”

Yun smirked. “Not if I can help it.” He briefly took Kyoshi’s hand. “Wait here.” Before she could respond, he was already jogging across the floor to two fencers, both in full gear. 

Kyoshi stood beside Hei-ran, aware of the coach’s perfect posture. As a habit, Kyoshi slouched in an unsuccessful attempt to make herself smaller. Now, she mimicked the coach and straightened her back.

The two of them watched the sabrists set up the strip and change into their gear. Hei-ran glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. “So, Kyoshi, have you ever fenced before?”

“No.” She hesitated, not wanting to relinquish more information than necessary, but she sensed Hei-ran would not be satisfied with the simple answer. “... Yun actually asked me to come.”

“And how do you two know each other?”

“We went to high school together. After graduation, he came to the university while I did my associate’s degree at community college.”

Hei-ran considered her. “A very responsible decision. Your parents must be proud.”

“Yeah…” Kyoshi pressed her lips together. “I uh… I actually don’t… have those…”

“Oh.” Hei-ran looked like she was uncertain whether to emote sympathy or not, and settled for, “All the more impressive.”

“Thanks.” Kyoshi shifted her weight. She hated feeling like a statistic. “And what about you?”

“My father was a fencer. I learned at a young age, much like my daughter. An injury prevented me from getting my A rating.” She noted Kyoshi’s confusion. “The US Fencing Association rates fencers from the lowest level, U which stands for unrated, to the highest level A.” Hei-ran nodded towards the strip, where a masked opponent stood across from Yun. “For context, Rangi is a C-rated fencer.”

“Ah.” Kyoshi watched as Yun donned a silver jacket over his white gear. Rangi was already sitting in a low stance, the cords plugged in to her gear. Yun finished hooking up his own weapon. He flashed Kyoshi a grin and placed the mask over his head. 

Hei-ran cleared her throat. “Excuse me.” She moved to the strip, hands out to either side like a conductor. “Fencers, en garde. Ready. Fence.”

Kyoshi could have blinked and missed the attack. Her jaw dropped as Rangi immediately stood from her long lunge, turning her back to Yun as she returned to her starting position. Yun laughed, taking the point against him in good stride. 

“Attack arrives, 1-0. En garde. Ready. Fence.” 

This time, Kyoshi’s eyes kept up. Yun and Rangi lunged concurrently, clashing together. 

“Halt! Simultaneous. No point. En garde, ready, fence.”

As the bout went on, Kyoshi made mental notes of the style of fencing. Unlike in epee and foil, there was very little back and forth, no hesitation. The three minute timer on the clock usually only ticked down a few seconds before the round was over. 

“Halt! 1-4.”

Yun whooped and called, “See that, Kyoshi? I got her!”

Truthfully, she hadn’t seen the point, but gave him a thumbs up anyway.

“En garde, ready, fence.”

Both fencers took one step forward, but to Kyoshi’s surprise, Rangi moved back. Yun advanced cautiously, before he took a quick step and lunged, swiping at her arm. Rangi held out her weapon to block the attack with a parry, and Yun immediately retreated. Rangi advanced towards him slowly, flicking her blade up and down. Yun jolted a few times, anticipating an attack. Rangi kept pushing him towards the end of the strip, toying with him. 

When Yun was at the edge of the strip, he lunged. Rangi was faster. She rushed him, her blade clicking against the top of his mask as she drove past him. 

“Halt! Attack no, attack arrives. 5-1, bout.”

Kyoshi stared at the lights on the scoreboard. Green and red were both lit up, and she furrowed her eyebrows in thought. _If both of them attacked at the same time, then why did Rangi get the point?_

She looked up just as Rangi removed her mask, her cluttered mind blanking instantly.

Rangi’s black hair was cropped just above her shoulder, half of it pulled into a messy topknot. Her angular features were clean, and Kyoshi realized she hadn’t even broken a sweat during the entire match. As Rangi exhaled, her lips parted slightly. Kyoshi’s own breath caught in her throat at the sight. Rangi’s dark bronze eyes landed on her, and for a moment, Kyoshi thought she might fall to her knees. 

Rangi reached out to shake Yun’s hand. He took her fingers in his, tilted her hand, and kissed her knuckles. Kyoshi stiffened as he did so. Part of her had always been envious of Yun’s good looks, his ease with people, but those feelings were nothing compared to the jealousy that ripped through her now. 

As the fencers unhooked from the strip, Hei-ran noticed Kyoshi’s pallor. “Are you alright, Kyoshi? You look ill.”

“I- I’m fine.” Kyoshi regained her composure. “I was just… impressed by the... fencing.”

“I see.” Hei-ran’s voice held a fleeting compassion. “It can be daunting at first, but we’ll provide any training you need.”

Yun and Rangi both approached them. This would be the fourth time Yun had introduced her tonight. Kyoshi usually limited him to three at any given social event, but for some reason, she didn’t mind. “This is her, Rangi.”

The sabre fencer stuck out her hand. “Yun’s told me a lot about you.”

Kyoshi slowly took her hand. She wished she could mimic the way Yun had tilted her knuckles. She wanted to lay her own mark there.

Rangi gave her a strange look and she realized she’d been holding her hand too long. Kyoshi let go quickly. “Hi. Same.” She was telling the truth; Yun had told Kyoshi about a sabre fencer. He’d left out the part where she was drop dead gorgeous. 

Yun threw his arms around both of their shoulders, reaching high to grab Kyoshi’s. “Practice is almost over, and Tuesdays are milkshake nights. The diner’s just across campus.”

The hour was getting late, and Kyoshi was exhausted from work. She felt, though, that there was no excuse strong enough to keep her from getting to know Rangi.

Huffing playfully, Rangi grumbled, “Fine, but I need to be in bed by midnight.”

* * *

At 2:00 AM, the three stumbled out of the diner doors. Yun dangled between Kyoshi and Rangi, clutching at his stomach. “Okay, maybe three milkshakes was too much.”

“You think?” Rangi growled. “Come on, where’s your dorm?”

They supported him for three blocks, finally resting outside the massive hall. Yun managed a weak salute before staggering inside the building. Once he was gone, the two dissolved into giggles. 

Rangi shook her head fondly. “He is something else, huh?”

The same jealous feeling pricked Kyoshi, and her laughter was cut short. “Yeah… sure is.”

Stretching, Rangi asked, “You live on campus?”

“Yep. C Hall.”

“Perfect. I live in B. We’ll walk together.”

The streets of campus were well lit. Buildings towered around them, their purposes mysterious in the dark. Save for the occasional studious night owl, Kyoshi and Rangi were alone. 

Rangi broke the silence first. “I know you didn’t get any practice time, but how did you feel about fencing?”

“It was cool.”

“... Would you be interested in coming back?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Rangi eyed her. Like her mother, she was never satisfied with the easy answer. “So how do you know Yun?” 

Hei-ran had asked her the exact same question only hours before. Part of Kyoshi wanted to repeat her answer, but she fell prey to a stronger urge. She had already given away too much of herself tonight. “From high school.”

Though Kyoshi was nearly a head taller than her, Rangi had set a rapid walking pace. Kyoshi had finally adjusted to her speed, but when she glanced to her left, she saw Rangi was no longer beside her. 

Rangi’s voice came from behind. “Do you have a problem with me?”

Kyoshi whipped around. Rangi glared at her intently, arms straight at her side. Kyoshi’s mind raced as she wondered what she had done to deserve such an aggressive response. “What?”

“You haven’t said more than three-word sentences to me all night.”

“Y-yes I have,” Kyoshi said feebly. She knew Rangi was right.

“You had no problem talking to Kelsang or my mom. So what is it about me? Did I do something?”

Dread clutched Kyoshi. The only way Rangi would have known about her conversations was if she had been watching her. _Everyone was watching you_ , she told herself harshly. _You’re impossible to miss_. “No, you didn’t do anything at all, I just…”

“Just what?”

“I just…” Her mouth tried to sculpt her feelings into words. “I… think you’re cool.”

Rangi’s eyes widened slightly. She must have been prepared for something worse. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” The statement had been painfully simple, but Kyoshi felt more vulnerable now than she had all night. 

“Well… I think you’re cool too.” Rangi spoke carefully, almost like she was afraid of spooking her. “Actually, I was really looking forward to meeting you. Yun talks about you all the time.”

“Right…” Kyoshi trusted Yun’s word, but this entire exchange would have been easier if she was a complete stranger. 

“All good things,” Rangi said quickly. “Just that you’re… hardworking. And strong.”

Kyoshi wasn’t sure how to respond other than, “Cool.”

After a pause, Rangi cleared her throat. “We should get back to the dorms. It’s late.”

“Yeah.”

The rest of the walk passed in silence. Kyoshi almost preferred the lack of conversation. She wanted nothing more than to be near Rangi, close enough to feel the energy that radiated off of her. 

Rangi halted once more, facing a stone building. “Here’s B Hall.” She glanced back at Kyoshi and offered a curt, “Goodnight.”

“Wait.” Rangi’s eyes pierced her, and Kyoshi realized she had said the word out loud. “Um… That last point… during your duel with Yun?”

“Bout. We don’t say duel.”

“Right, bout.” Kyoshi pressed her lips together, thinking. “Why did you get the point? You both hit at the same time, so wouldn’t it have been...” She struggled to recall the word Hei-ran had used. “Simultaneous?”

Rangi considered her wordlessly, and for a moment, Kyoshi was afraid she wouldn’t answer. At last, Rangi said, “In sabre, we have something called priority, or right of way. Essentially, it means offense and defense. It’s like… soccer. You know how in soccer, one team has the ball and the other has to defend?”

“Yes.”

“It’s like that. Right of way is like the invisible ball. So even if both fencers attack at the same time, whoever was on offense gets the point.”

They stood a few feet apart, directly in front of each other. Kyoshi took the last few seconds to memorize the lines of Rangi’s face. She wondered briefly if either of them had the right of way at this moment. The obvious answer was Rangi. Even though she’d only known her a few hours, Kyoshi recognized that Rangi always acted first. 

“Well, goodnight, Kyoshi.” Rangi was about to retreat. 

A heady mixture of exhaustion and night air spurred Kyoshi. She decided to take the moment, seize the offense back. She reached for Rangi’s hand. Before she could stop herself, Kyoshi lifted Rangi’s knuckles to her lips. “Goodnight… Rangi.”

Kyoshi saw her bronze eyes widen, but turned away before the rest of her face could react. She made for her own dormitory, walking with purpose but not with urgency. There was no sound but the wind in the black trees, the unfaltering steps of her own feet.


	2. Baking/Domesticity - Azulee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Baking/Domesticity or Angst with a Happy Ending  
> Five years had passed since Azula last saw Ty Lee. She was prepared for anything, except forgiveness.

Azula had never been so cold, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. A frigid breeze wafted from the ocean behind her. The evergreen trees resisted the wind, their ice-encased needles clinking. Around the base of the wooden building, snow piled a foot high. The entire scene was like a painting; wintery and pristine. Azula ignored the cold beauty around her, though, instead training her eyes on the green door hanging. 

She heard movement behind her. Azula instinctively tensed, though she knew the approacher was friendly. 

“Azula, you’re shivering,” Katara said, pausing at her side. “Come on, let’s go in.”

She said nothing, only fought the shudders that came with the temperature. 

Katara leaned to see her face. “Everything okay?”

Again, silence. 

“Look, Azula, I know it’s been a while, but-”

“Five years.” Azula heard herself speak. “It’s been five years since I’ve seen Ty- …” The name felt like lead in her mouth. “... Her.”

Katara smiled reassuringly, an expression she seemed to wear daily around Azula. “She’s excited to see you again, I promise.” She reached out and moved the door hanging aside. Warm air spilled from the opening. 

Azula kept her eyes forward. She inhaled deeply, stepping over the threshold. 

The training room was filled with girls in their early teens, each wearing the red, black, and white makeup of a Kyoshi Warrior. Azula noted that some of their paint was smudged or uneven, and she recognized them as new recruits. Their voices hushed as the newcomers entered and removed their parkas. Azula felt out of place, like an exhibition. 

“Katara!” A warrior taller than the rest ran forward, embracing Katara. “You’re here!”

“Hi Suki!” Katara squeezed her once before stepping back. “You remember Azula?”

Azula saw a flicker in the warrior’s lilac eyes. The concern was replaced by a cautious warmth. “Of course,” Suki said, halting as if she was unsure whether to bow. “Ty Lee’s been asking for you.”

Azula scanned the room with her eyes. Though the girls were all wearing makeup, she knew she would have recognized Ty Lee among them. “Where is she?”

“She thought you would be here later.” Suki grinned at Katara. “Usually when Team Avatar says they’re on their way, we expect at least a two day delay.”

Katara chuckled. “That’s only when Aang is with us. There’s always some landmark or kitschy shop he wants to visit on the way.” She nodded towards Azula. “But this one runs a tight ship. She even had our bathroom breaks scheduled.”

Azula straightened her back. “I make it a habit to be punctual.”

Suki exchanged glances with Katara. “So Aang won’t be joining us?”

Katara shook her head. “He’s doing business in the Fire Nation. He let us borrow Appa so that we could come visit Ty Lee.”

“Where is she?” Azula realized her tone was sharper than she intended. She met Suki’s curious gaze with an apologetic one. “That is… I’d like to see her. Please.”

“... She’s this way.” Suki shot a glare at the gawking Kyoshi Warriors. “Break time is over. Dance of the Bear, now!”

Suki led the guests out of the room as the girls scrambled into position. They moved down a narrow hallway, past paper walls. “She’s been spending a lot of time in the kitchen lately. Before she came here, she’d never learned to cook. And trust me, it showed.” Suki shook her head fondly. “At first, you couldn’t pay any of us to try her food. I mean, you can’t blame her for being a rich ki-” Suki paused, aware of Azula’s presence. “Uh, well, a Fire Nation noble.”

They both glanced at Azula, who kept her mouth shut. Truthfully, she wasn’t insulted. Rather, she felt unsure how to express that without making some social error, as she so often did with these things. Everyone always acted like they had to walk on eggshells around her. 

Suki continued. “But she’s improved a lot! Her favorite is dessert.” She chuckled. “In fact, she makes so much that we have to lock our cabinets up at night so the new recruits won’t get into them!”

Katara laughed, but Azula’s mind was elsewhere. Every step down the narrow hallway took them closer, and she still had no plan. Rarely did she go into a situation without strategizing first, or at least having a speech prepared. She tried to think of something, anything that would be enough to cover the five year absence. Her heart pounded as they rounded a corner, into the kitchen. 

The light filtered from a window above, illuminating the flour particles in the air, it’s brightness shadowing Ty Lee’s form. She had her back turned to them and was singing to herself, badly and off key, but paid no mind. Azula peered at her through the sunbeam. She wished she was invisible, wished she could disappear and spend the rest of the day just watching Ty Lee from a distance. 

Suki called, “Ty Lee! You have a guest.”

Ty Lee froze. She faced them slowly, wiping her hands on the apron as she stalked through the sunlight. The beam illuminated her features, and Azula held her breath at the sight. Ty Lee was unscathed, her cheeks round and full, eyes still bright and inquisitive. 

She stopped a few feet away from Azula, searching her face. “Azula? Is that really you?”

Azula didn’t blame Ty Lee for not recognizing her. She often didn’t recognize her own reflection, with her hollow eyes and gaunt features. Rehabilitation had humanized her from the ghost she’d been five years ago, but healing takes time, and the deepest scars don’t live on skin. 

“Yes,” Azula said, a cobbled together speech forming in her head. “It’s me. Hello, Ty Lee, I know it’s been- ah!”

Ty Lee pounced on her, throwing her arms around her shoulders and crying out, “Azula!” She buried her face in her neck. “I missed you so much!”

Azula had prepared herself for the worst, for Ty Lee to run in fear from her, yell at her for putting her in jail, throw things if that helped. She was ready to be chastised, hated. It was what she deserved. 

She knew deep down that Ty Lee would forgive her. Azula spent so long convincing herself it was false hope, that she needed to expect disappointment. Those hours of breaking down and reconstructing her walls, lost, as those same walls crumbled around her heart. 

Azula began to cry, and knew from the wetness on her collarbone that Ty Lee was crying too. In the years of being Ty Lee’s friend, Azula had never hugged her back. It was improper for a princess to embrace anyone, even a nobleman’s daughter. Now, Azula cinched her arms around Ty Lee’s waist, refusing to let her go. 

“Azula?”

“Yes, Ty Lee?”

Ty Lee raised her head, smiling apologetically. “You’re… gonna… break my ribs…”

“Oh!” Azula released her quickly, taking a step back. “Forgive me.”

Ty Lee laughed, using the back of her wrist to wipe away the tears on her face. “Don’t worry about it.” She gazed at Azula, when horror began to creep across her features. “Oh no!”

Azula felt a twinge. She knew it, something was wrong. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what she’d done wrong.

Ty Lee darted to a sink, wringing out a soaked rag as she rushed apologies. “I’m so sorry Azula, I didn’t mean to- I should have taken the apron off-”

Blinking once, Azula glanced down at her dark red robes. A layer of white flour had settled where Ty Lee had pressed against her. The powder was thick enough that she knew her clothes would need to be washed to get it out. 

Azula avoided messes when she could. She’d rarely so much as have a hair out of place. As a princess and leader, she was expected to keep up appearances. 

A sound filled the room. Katara and Suki stood near the door, mouths gaping at the giggles coming from Azula. The sound escalated, and Azula threw back her head as laughter poured from her throat. Ty Lee’s shocked expression bloomed into a smile. 

Azula held her arms open wide, and Ty Lee leapt into them, welcomed. They held each other, mingling laughter, tears, and flour. There was no more appearance to keep up. Azula was no longer a princess or a leader. She was just happy to be Ty Lee’s friend again.


	3. Pining - Azutara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Braids/Hair Braiding or Pining  
> Katara arrives home after another late night of tracking down an assassin. To her surprise, the assassin tracked her down instead.  
> Blood CW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a Killing Eve AU, or Assassin AU, or whatever you wanna call it. If you haven't watched Killing Eve, and you like blood, dark humor, and disaster wlw's, I highly recommend it. I really wanted to incorporate hair braiding into this, but it didn't work out that way. If you enjoy this fic, please leave kudos or a comment! Love and stuff!

_Thud!_ “Fuck.” Katara glared down at the dropped grocery bag. She continued to fumble with her set of keys, feeling the jagged edges with her fingers in the darkness. After two failed attempts at finding the right fit for the door, she finally felt one of the keys slip inside the lock. Katara adjusted the two other grocery bags in her arms, freeing her other hand to pull the knob towards her. The door, along with the rest of the building, was ancient, and after years of settling, the wood remained stubbornly out of place. 

The lock clicked. She twisted the knob and shoved her weight against the door, but was met with resistance. Katara grunted as she pushed again, keys jingling with each effort. 

A light flickered on above her. Katara winced and turned around. An older woman stood outside one of the other apartment doors, arms crossed. She wore a fierce expression, pink slippers, and a robe that would have been too short on a person of average height. 

“Sorry, Auntie,” Katara whispered. They weren’t related by blood, but the landlady had never introduced herself as anything else. 

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Auntie hissed. 

“I know, I promise I’ll be more quiet next-”

“If you’re going to be out late, the least you can do is bring home a man!”

“I wasn’t ‘out’,” Katara said defensively. “I was working.”

“Again!” She shook her finger at Katara. “You can’t keep this up forever, you know! You only think you can because you’re young!”

“I know, Auntie.”

“You tell that boss of yours that you need a break! You tell him or I will!”

Katara smiled to herself, picturing her tiny landlady just as she was, robed, slippered, and wagging her finger at the head of the Secret Intelligence Service. “Okay, Auntie.” She pressed against the door again, and this time it chose to relinquish easily. “Goodnight.”

The woman grumbled a goodbye as Katara entered her apartment, dragging in the bag she had dropped earlier. 

Katara sighed, letting the wear of the day slide off her shoulders along with her oversized coat. She abandoned two of the grocery bags at the door, too exhausted to bother with the non-perishable items. Katara carried the third paper bag, now soggy with cold, through the darkness, aiming for the kitchen. Her fingers danced on the wall until she found the switch. 

Light flooded the tiny area. The short, cluttered counter had three bar stools behind it. Sitting upright in the center one, hands folded neatly, was Azula. 

“Oh shit!” _Thud_. Katara ignored the fallen bag this time, her attention narrowed on the other woman. 

Azula’s long black hair was pulled into an unusually messy top knot, a bruise swelling above her smeared eyeliner. She smiled easily at Katara, flinching as the movement stretched the bloody cut on her lip. “You redecorated.”

“What the fuck are you doing? Just sitting alone in the dark?”

“I wanted to scare you,” Azula said. “I thought it’d be funny. And it was.”

Katara gawked, her expression turning to one of concern. “Are you hurt?”

“A little. I tried to clean up before you got here, but I couldn’t figure out how to work your shower.” Disdain entered her voice as she said, “It seems that the knob was replaced by a wrench.”

“Yeah…” Katara struggled to regain her composure. “Yeah, the uh… maintenance guy is out on vacation.” Her eyes landed on Azula’s left arm, where a strip of yellow cloth had been tied and dyed red. “Oh my god, are you bleeding?”

Azula rolled her eyes. “It’s just a scratch. Turns out some children hate when you try to off their father.” Her features darkened. “Even if he was a complete asshole.” Her mood lightened again, as quickly as it had dimmed. “Either way, I was in the area, and I figured someone as maternal as you could stitch me up.”

“What? I’m not maternal!” 

“So you can’t give me stitches?”

“Of course I can!” Katara finally resumed control of herself. She knelt and picked up the grocery bag, reaching for the spilled contents. “Hold on, let me um… put everything away first.”

“Take your time; I’m in no rush.”

Katara opened the fridge. “They’re not after you?”

“I never leave a trail.” Azula smirked. “This may surprise you, but I’m actually good at my job.”

“Hmph. I’m not,” Katara said. “If I was, I’d be calling my boss right now. I’m supposed to be tracking you down, you know.”

“Aw, all this fuss over me.” Azula propped her elbows on the counter, making a bridge with her interlaced fingers. “I’m touched.”

“At the very least, I should drop you off at the hospital.”

“Ugh, you know how I feel about hospitals.”

Katara gazed at her intently. “And you know how I feel about assassins.”

“Hmm. I actually don’t, but let me guess.” Azula’s golden eyes flickered, like a cat playing with it’s meal. “You feel… ‘Scared’? No, that’s not it. How about ‘intrigued’? Wait, I’ve got it.” She licked her lips, smearing blood with her tongue. “‘Aroused.’”

Blood rushed to Katara’s face. She turned away, changing the subject quickly. “Can I get you anything? Some tea? Vodka?”

Azula leaned back, satisfied with her reaction. “Do you have any cabernet sauvignon?”

“Well for wine, I’ve got…” Katara dragged a large box out of the fridge and dropped it unceremoniously on the counter. “Red.”

* * *

“Ah!” Azula hissed in pain. 

Katara grinned, pulling the curved needle away from the open wound. “Oh, don’t be a baby.”

“Then stop hacking me to pieces, you maniac.” Azula used her free hand to grab her wine, drinking from a faded London Zoo mug. 

“What did they get you with, anyway?”

“Bullet.” She sighed. “It was my fault, I didn’t move quick enough. Getting sloppy in my old age.”

“We’re only 25, Azula.”

“Yes, and that much closer to death.”

Katara shook her head affectionately. “I guess assassins don’t have long life spans.”

“The good ones do.”

“And you’re one of the good ones?”

Azula’s expression changed. “I was.”

Katara punctured her skin once more with the needle, causing Azula to wince. “You said yourself that you’re good at your job.”

“Yes, usually I finish my assignments flawlessly. But this time…” She looked away. “I… I was clumsy. I made too many mistakes. The son caught me mid-kill. I should have had plenty of time before he arrived, but… I hesitated.”

Katara paused, frowning at her. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Azula said quietly, almost whispering. Katara had never seen her like this: yielding, vulnerable. The sight put her on edge. Any moment, Azula would bounce back, laugh at her for falling for the act. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, he was a deplorable person. Politician, pushed through policies that left millions of people suffering, not to mention the 4 sexual assault accusations.”

“Oof,” Katara said, pulling on the thread. 

“But… I don’t know,” Azula repeated. “I started by beating him bloody. He liked trophy hunting, so I used the blunt side of some elephant tusks. I’ve done this enough times that I knew the begging would come next. They always beg, offer me money, power. But he just looked me in the eye. Like he was at peace with it, with the consequences of everything he’d done. 

“I’d just caught him fresh out of the bath, so he was still wearing his robe. And he asked me to wait before I killed him. He crawled to his desk, and grabbed something small off the surface. And he put it on his left hand.” She closed her eyes, solemn. “He wanted to die wearing his wedding ring. That asshole, that _monster_ , wanted to die… loved. And he did.”

Katara searched her face, fighting the urge to take Azula’s hand. Even if this was an act, it didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was that Azula, the assassin she’d spent a year tracking down, fighting with, dreaming about… was crying. 

“After it was done,” Azula said, treating her tears like an inconvenience. “His son came in, caught me with an upper right before he got his hands on one of the shotguns. I was almost out the window when he fired.” She lifted her chin, staring up at the ceiling. The callous bathroom light hit her features, and Katara wondered how someone so clouded by sin could look so holy. “When I fell into the bushes, felt the sting on my arm, I realized I could have been a few inches too far to the left. Or he could have aimed better.” She stiffened her lower lip. “I don’t mind death. It’s always been part of the job, a potential side effect. But if I died, even the most painless, agreeable way...” Azula looked down at her naked left hand, flexing her fingers. “I’d still have it worse than he did.”

They sat in stillness for a moment. In a last ditch attempt, Katara waited for a punchline. A jump scare. Anything. But she was only met with silence. 

Though Azula had stopped crying, Katara was still stricken. During the briefings at MI6, Azula was always described as a psychopath. No feeling, no remorse. After encountering her in real life, Katara had come to the same conclusion. But now…

Katara grazed the top of Azula’s hand with her fingers. They both stared at the action, slowly moving their hands until their palms were pressed together, fingers intertwined. “You won’t die unloved, Azula,” Katara murmured. 

Azula scoffed, a harsh sound after the quiet. “Don’t say that. I could have a heart attack in the next ten minutes, or you could have poisoned the wine.” She flashed a glare at the mug. “Considering the taste, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Smiling, Katara shook her head. “Even if you died right now.”

They both froze, the weight of Katara’s words settling in the air. They met each other’s eyes, lips parted slightly. Katara gulped involuntarily, mind racing. “A-Azu-”

Azula pressed her mouth against hers, swallowing her own name before Katara could finish saying it. Katara tilted her head, letting Azula run her tongue along her lower lip. She tasted like blood and cheap wine. 

After a moment, Azula pulled away. Katara threaded her fingers in her black hair, pulling her back in. Azula chuckled against her mouth, letting Katara kiss her, letting herself be loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also side note: I definitely forgot to add italics to the html for chapter 1, so that has been updated. My b


	4. Childhood Friends - Mailee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fire Nation has a new heir. The only one who isn't celebrating, though, is the Fire Lady's bodyguard, who begins to question her place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this has a happy ending. Also, Zuko is ace bc I said so. If you enjoy this fic, please leave kudos or a comment! Love and stuff!

Despite the early hour, music drifted through the open window of the Fire Nation palace. Beyond the towering walls, a crowd began to swarm, knowing that Fire Lord Zuko would soon open the courtyard doors. Though the fire lord himself would keep his distance from the festivities, he was more than happy to let his citizens celebrate on the palace grounds. After all, what better reason to rejoice: the Fire Nation finally had an heir. 

The interior of the estate buzzed with activity, though at a lower volume. Nobles gathered in the hallways, robes thrown on haphazardly as they spoke in husky, unrested voices. The trail of movement wove through the palace, leading to the stoic red curtain that walled off the world from the Fire Lady’s room. 

Fire Lady Mai rested in the enormous bed, swallowed in crimson sheets and a paltry crew of her most trusted servants. Her usually kempt hair fell around her face in sweaty tendrils, sticking to her neck. The shadows under her eyes betrayed the toil of the night before, but she cradled the reward of her efforts. 

On her left side, Fire Lord Zuko perched on a simple wooden stool, bronze eyes gleaming in the brightening light. His hair was also mussed, and he still wore his sleeping robes. Zuko kept his hands to himself, allowing his wife the quiet of the moment, but leaned across the bed to peer at his child’s face. 

On Mai’s right side, her bodyguard Ty Lee sat stiff and upright, pressing a damp cloth to the Fire Lady’s forehead. Unlike Zuko, she had not looked at the infant. She gazed only at Mai, searching her face. Mai rarely let her emotions be seen, but today there was a glow around her features.

Mai glanced sidelong at Ty Lee, eyes gentle. Ty Lee read the simple expression and removed the damp cloth from her forehead. Rising slightly, Mai turned towards Zuko and held out the infant. “Do you want to hold her?”

His eyes widened, and Ty Lee thought he might burst with joy. Zuko reached for her, taking his daughter in his arms. He trembled as he looked down, murmuring, “What… what do I say?”

Mai rolled her eyes playfully. “Say whatever you want, she won’t understand you.”

He let out a sharp chuckle, saying softly, “Hey… Izumi. I’m Zuko. Your dad.”

“Good first impression.” Mai watched the interaction with a rare smile on her face.

Zuko stroked the infant’s cheek with one finger. Ty Lee gazed at their family, suddenly feeling very out of place. She stood abruptly, hands at her side. Ty Lee heard herself say, “Do you need anything else, Fire Lady?”

The royals stared at her. Ty Lee had always been dedicated to her duty, but she still remained playful even in the most dire situation. Mai lifted an eyebrow, unnerved by her sudden formality. “... No?”

Ty Lee nodded curtly. “Then my work here is done. I’ll be leaving for Kyoshi Island within the hour.”

Even the scattered servants froze. Outside the curtain, the nobles grew louder and more antsy with each passing moment. Yells from impatient citizens mingled with the music drifting beyond the grounds.

Mai’s eyes flickered with displeasure, but she kept her composure as she said, “My lord, it seems the nation is restless. Perhaps it’s time to present their new princess, before they start climbing over the walls.”

Zuko hesitated, not wanting to take Izumi away from her mother so soon. Mai brushed his arm with her fingers in a reassuring gesture, still training her gaze on Ty Lee. 

The remaining servants took the opportunity to depart with the fire lord, bowing and muttering hushed excuses as they filed out the curtain behind him. Within moments, Mai and Ty Lee were completely alone.

“You’re leaving.” Mai’s words were not in the form of a question, but Ty Lee felt compelled to answer. 

“Yes.” She steeled herself. “When I arrived last year, my duty was to protect the unborn heir of the Fire Nation. My assignment has ended; I’m going back to the warriors.”

“You can’t be serious.” 

Ty Lee flinched, frustrated. “I am… I asked Suki and she said they have fresh recruits that need chi blocking- ”

“What is this really about, Ty Lee?”

She tried to ignore the race in her pulse when Mai said her name. “I…” She looked away. “We… We can’t keep pretending, Mai.” Despite her best efforts, tears sprang to her eyes. “I can’t be your bodyguard to the world and your girlfriend behind closed doors. Especially now that you have a daughter, a family. So I’ve made up my mind to leave, so that I won’t distract you from your duty.”

“... Is that how you see yourself? As a distraction?”

Her answer was silence. 

Sighing, Mai patted the empty sheets beside her. “Come here.”

After spending years with Azula and then training with the Kyoshi Warriors, Ty Lee was used to following orders. Obedience was ingrained into Fire Nation nobles from a young age. But Mai never commanded her, even after she assumed the throne. Perhaps that was why it was easier to obey. 

Ty Lee tucked her legs beneath her on the crimson sheets, pressing her back to the enormous wooden headboard. Part of her wanted to close the inches of distance between her shoulder and Mai’s, but she reigned in the impulse. 

Mai spoke, her voice husky with exhaustion. “I know you’ve never liked pretending to be someone that you’re not. I mean, when you were younger, you hated it so much that you ran off to join the circus. But as the Fire Lady, I’m always going to be putting on appearances for others.” She glanced at Ty Lee, tilting her head. “As a nobleman’s daughter, I thought you’d understand that.”

“No, I do, I just…” Ty Lee’s hands began to work at the bedsheets mindlessly. “I… I thought… when we were younger… You wrote me all those letters while I was training, and you came to visit so often, until… until one day when you’re just… married.” She caught the shadow that fell across Mai’s features. Ty Lee quickly backtracked, holding her hands up. “W-which is perfectly fine! I was happy for you two, really, but it just… surprised me, is all.”

Mai leaned back against the headboard, closing her eyes. “Honestly, I think it surprised all of us.”

“I guess I just don’t understand why you did it.” Ty Lee searched her face. “I was convinced I was just reading into things, but then I find out you’re pregnant and I’m assigned to be your bodyguard.” A blush snuck across her cheeks. “And… then you would kiss me and… more…”

“‘More’.” Mai smirked. “That’s one way to put it.”

“And it was great! But I kept counting down the days because I knew we couldn’t keep this up forever…” Sniffles began to punctuate her sentences. “And that once your child was born… Then you wouldn’t want me around anymore…”

“Ty Lee.”

She blustered on, tears falling freely down her face as she choked out, “That I was just a plaything to you, the same way I was to Az…” The name trailed off, but Mai knew what she intended. None of them had come out of the war unscathed, and trauma crept back in all shapes and sizes. 

Mai watched her, unsure what to do other than say her name again. “Ty Lee, that’s not-”

“Then why am I here, Mai?” She seized Mai with her puffy eyes. “What are we even doing? Am I your lover, your bodyguard, or am I your girlfriend? Has this whole thing just been sex or… or do you actually love me?”

“You know the answer to that.”

“Then why did you marry him in the first place?”

The question hung thick in the air, lifespan stretched by Mai’s silence. Finally, the Fire Lady said, “Earlier you asked me if I need anything, and I do. Get us both some jasmine tea.” She recoiled at the sterility of her tone, and took Ty Lee’s fingers in hers. “... Please. My love.”

Mai had evaded the question, but Ty Lee was more focused on her sudden tenderness. Even at her most adoring, Mai stayed playfully reserved. Any displays of romantic affection were often followed by a sarcastic quip.

Ty Lee wordlessly went to the hanging curtain, wiping her face dry. She pushed the fabric aside to see a group of servants directly in front of her. They stood at attention, averting their guilty eyes. Ty Lee knew immediately that they had been eavesdropping, but she was still too struck by Mai’s sincerity to care. She muttered something about tea, watching with vacant eyes as they scrambled over each other.

Within minutes, a wooden tea tray sat between them on the bed. Ty Lee poured Mai’s cup first, followed by her own. She perched, legs crossed, at Mai’s side. Both of them held the warm cups in their palms, though neither sipped. 

Mai broke the silence. “Ten years after Zuko assumed the throne, he discovered that a group of Fire Nation nobles were planning a coup. They disagreed with Zuko’s policies, and since he had no wife or heir, they could easily seize power. In order to secure his position and stamp out the attempt, he needed an alliance with the nobles, and a successor. The quickest route to both was through marriage…” Mai bowed her head. “And my father was a key member of that insurgent group.”

Ty Lee’s shoulders sank. “Oh…”

“Zuko and I weren’t romantically involved at that point, but we still kept in touch.”

“Wait, you’d broken up?”

“Yes, some time before that.”

“But then… you didn’t even love him?”

“I did love him, as a friend, and I loved my country, even if we plunged the world into a hundred year war.” She blew across the top of her tea. “And if it meant keeping our people safe, I could give up my freedom.”

“But you shouldn’t have had to… Why couldn’t he just marry someone else?”

“He doesn’t like being intimate with people, in that way.”

Ty Lee felt the ghost of Mai’s lips on her neck, her hands on her thighs. She shivered at the memory, focusing intently on her teacup. 

Mai noticed her movement but said nothing. “So we had an agreement. Pop out a kid or two, and just keep up appearances for the kingdom.”

Relief swelled in Ty Lee’s chest as she began to unravel the situation. “So… all this time, you… you wanted me to stay?”

“Of course I did. I wanted you here from the second I moved in, but I didn’t want you to have to be around when Zuko and I were… trying. Once I realized I was pregnant, I wrote to Suki asking for you to come here and protect me... us. Before I told Zuko, or anyone, I asked for you.”

“Really?” Ty Lee felt a warmth blooming in her chest. “But… what about Izumi?”

“Oh please, she’s going to be the richest kid in the Fire Nation. She’ll be fine.”

“Not that, I meant…” Ty Lee thought for a moment. “You… You asked Katara to be the godmother… I thought-”

“For agni’s sake, Ty Lee, I had to. She’s the Avatar’s wife, so it’s good for political reasons.” Mai sipped at her tea. “And since Aang’s the last airbender, you know they were already going to have a few brats running around anyway. I’m sure they wouldn’t notice an extra one if something happened to us.”

“Mai! That’s your daughter!”

“No, that’s our-” Mai froze at the sight of Ty Lee’s gaping expression. “What?”

“What… what do you mean ‘our’..?”

Mai blinked at her, lips stretching into a smile. She shook slightly, fighting back giggles. Her joy won over, and laughter spilled from her. Ty Lee thought she might crumble at the sound, one so rare she wondered if she’d ever hear it again. 

However, Ty Lee still felt stuck on the outside, at the threshold of the joke but still not understanding. Mai caught her confounded expression, and regained her composure. 

“Ty Lee, the reason I didn’t make you her godmother is because you’re her actual mother.” She paused. “I thought you knew that.”

“Whaaaaaaat!” Ty Lee pressed her hands to her face, unable to contain her excitement. “Wait, really?”

Mai gawked at her. “You… you sang to her. Every night, you sang to her when she was in my belly and you kissed her and everything.” 

Tears streamed down Ty Lee’s cheeks as everything fell into place. The last near year of emotions and anxiety began to clear. She reached out and touched Mai, running her fingers down her arm and up her neck. Cupping her jaw, Ty Lee gazed into her eyes. 

Mai grinned sleepily. “I love you, idiot.”

“I love you too, Mai.” She pressed her lips to hers.

“Oh… um, sorry.” The women glanced up to see Zuko, standing at the door with Izumi in his arms. The Fire Lord looked uncertain, but a look from Mai encouraged his approach. “She… she was crying earlier, but they got her to calm down. I thought I should bring her…”

Ty Lee looked at Mai pleadingly. Mai grinned, nodding slightly, and Ty Lee leapt from the bed to take Izumi. 

“Hello, Izumi,” Ty Lee murmured, gazing down at the infant.

Zuko grinned. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

“She looks just like Mai.”

Mai snorted, reclining against the arranged pillows on the bed and resting her eyes. “She’s a baby, Ty Lee, she looks like a wet dumpling.”

“Mai!” Ty Lee turned to reproach her, but saw that the new mother was falling asleep. “Oh…”

“She needs to rest,” Zuko said quietly. “You both do; it’s been a long night.”

“Right,” Ty Lee responded, the weight of her exhaustion starting to hit her. She looked down at the baby. “Time for bed, Izumi.”

“She’ll sleep there.” Zuko indicated a structure in the corner of the room. A small wooden boat hung suspended, with a small golden blanket inside.

“She can’t sleep in the bed with us?” Ty Lee’s face fell, her arms stiffening around her new daughter defensively. 

“Not yet. Not until she’s stronger.” Zuko explained. “The parenting scrolls said she should stay in the same room, though.”

“Scrolls…” Ty Lee hadn’t even considered the efforts that came with parenting. Zuko had several months head start on her. “Can… can I borrow those?”

“Of course,” Zuko said, watching as Ty Lee gently lowered Izumi into the crib. “Let me know if you three need anything.” 

“Zuko?”

Concern overwhelmed the fatigue in his eyes. “Yes?”

“You should get some rest too,” Ty Lee murmured with a gentle smile, returning to the bed. 

Zuko relaxed, beaming at her. “I will.”

Ty Lee snuggled into Mai’s side, holding her hand. In the distance, she heard the nation celebrating. The music lulled Ty Lee and her family to sleep.


	5. Modern AU - Rangshi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyoshi and Rangi arrive at prom, only to be accosted by bullies. Usually Kyoshi would back down, but not this time. Basically every American high school rom com.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so warning! This gets a lil intense. There's bullying, strong language, implied drinking/drug use, and a fight happens so there's blood. If you like this chapter, please leave kudos and a comment! Love and stuff!

Warrior paint looked different on everyone. Tonight, Kyoshi’s took the form of bold red eyeshadow and heavy winged eyeliner. She stared at her reflection, counting the freckles. She could have put foundation on them, covered them up, but she had decided against it. 

A voice came from downstairs. “Kyoshi! Your friend is here!”

She scrambled, rising so fast that she nearly knocked over the makeshift vanity. “Coming!” she called. Kyoshi bowed her head beneath the low ceiling, smoothing the folds of the green dress. She paused at the stairway of her attic room, doing a mental checklist of everything she needed. Kyoshi brushed a finger to her bare lips, returning to the vanity. She took a tube of crimson lipstick in her hands. 

At the base of the stairs, Rangi stood at attention, her arms behind her back. She noticed Kelsang, Kyoshi’s adoptive father, staring at her, and nodded curtly. Kelsang stood behind the counter of his bakery, using a wet rag to wipe the same spot over and over. His shop was technically still open, but Rangi and he were the only ones inside. She stood out against the homely chairs and tables, with her neatly fitted suit and black topknot. 

Kelsang cleared his throat. “So… You and Kyoshi are…”

“Dating, yes.” Rangi made quick work of conversation. “We’ve been dating for several weeks, actually.”

“Really?” Kelsang mindlessly wiped flour off his apron. “She didn’t tell me.”

“Well, I’m telling you now.” Rangi realized she was being too curt and decided to switch tactics. “I... like your bakery. Kyoshi brought me some of your red bean buns, and they were delicious.”

“Thank you.”

“Soft on the inside, but crispy on the outside. And the red bean paste was very…” Her mind raced as she tried to think of an appropriate adjective. “... Beany.”

To her surprise, the intimidating man began to laugh. “Yeah, you two are definitely a match,” he chuckled. “How did you meet?”

Before Rangi could respond, the stairs creaked. They both fixed their attention on Kyoshi. She slowly descended from her attic room, ducking under a beam as she did so. 

Her dress was nothing spectacular. The glossy emerald fabric rose from her waistline, crossed over her chest. Sleeves sprouted from her shoulders, draping along her arms and gathering at her wrists. The only visible piece of her olive skin was her breastbone, but even that felt revealing to her. The skirt was designed to pool at the floor, but instead hung inches above her ankles. Kyoshi preferred it that way, in case she needed to make a quick escape. This sentiment was reflected in the practical, black flats on her feet, the only ones in her size.

Rangi’s mouth had dropped completely, her usually fierce face wracked with awe. Kelsang recovered from the sight before she did, and he stepped out from behind the counter. He embraced Kyoshi, saying, “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you, Kelsang.” Kyoshi returned her attention to Rangi, who had regained her composure long enough to stick out her arm. 

“My… lady.” Rangi had never said those words in her life, but felt there was nothing more appropriate to call her date. 

As Kyoshi took Rangi’s arm in hers, Kelsang snapped his fingers. “Wait! Pictures!”

The two girls groaned. Kyoshi tried to dissuade him. “Kelsang-” 

“Nope. Against the wall, now.” He held up an ancient disposable camera. “Say cheese!”

Neither of them smiled. The light flashed, signalling their freedom. Before Kelsang could rewind the film, Rangi had dragged Kyoshi to the door. “I’ll have her back by 10, sir.”

Kelsang shook his head. “Actually, I’ll be leaving the shop at 8, so you should have her back by midnight at the earliest.” He flashed them a grin. “Have fun, you two! Enjoy it!”

Kyoshi tried to think of something profound to say, but only released a casual, “Bye” before the door shut behind them.

* * *

The girls basketball team had tried to recruit Kyoshi all through her first year of high school. At the beginning of her second, she had caved. She had arrived at practice ten minutes late, failed to dribble the ball, and missed eighteen shots in a row. After that, the team had quickly lost interest, and Kyoshi had never expected to set foot on the gymnasium floor again. 

Until now. 

Kyoshi and Rangi approached the throng of high schoolers, all dancing together in a sweaty mass. Kyoshi easily saw above their heads, and was surprised at how well the prom committee had decorated. A makeshift stage had been set up beneath one of the goal posts, silky curtains providing a backdrop. Christmas lights hung in waves against the walled bleachers. Every so often, a balloon would be punched through the air, and the dancers would throw their hands up to keep it airborne. 

She noticed Rangi eyeing her, and returned her concern with a smile. Kyoshi was out of her element here, but she felt braver on Rangi’s arm. A few heads turned as they made their way along the edge of the group. Most of the glances were just that, and the dancers ignored her again. 

Rangi led her to a seat near the side of the gym, leaning close to her ear so she would be heard over the pounding music. “I’ll get us some punch.”

Kyoshi responded with a nod, and her date disappeared. She leaned back in the chair, drinking in the sight of the dancers. Without thinking, Kyoshi tapped her foot along with the music, and briefly fantasized about pulling Rangi onto the floor. 

A silhouette interrupted her thoughts. Kyoshi looked up to see three people stalking towards her like wildcats, blocking the bright lights. 

“So,” Aoma said from the center of the trio, crossing her arms over her heavily sequined gown. “You decided to come.”

Kyoshi hesitated, but only briefly. “I did.”

On Aoma’s left, Suzu cocked a carefully filled in eyebrow. “And with Topknot.”

Kyoshi stifled a laugh, thinking of all the horrible names they had called her from their preschool days to now. It eased her to know that Rangi was too feared to be referred to as anything genuinely cruel. “Her name is Rangi.”

“Oh trust me,” Jae chimed in from the right. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his tuxedo. “We know.”

“We’re good friends with her,” Aoma said. A smirk played on her mouth. “Real good.”

On any other day, Kyoshi would have suffered their petty attacks silently. Easier to let them take out their feelings on her than to fight back. Neutral jing. But today was inexcusable. She rose to her feet, straightened her spine, and lifted her chin. Her gaze was neutral towards them, almost bored. “Are you now? Funny that she didn’t ask you to prom, then.”

Jae and Suzu exchanged worried glances. Aoma’s smirk dissipated, but she maintained eye contact. “Oh please, like she actually wanted to go with you.”

Kyoshi had thought her new armor was impenetrable. Turns out there was a chink in it after all. “What are you talking about?”

Seeing she’d regained the upper hand, Aoma eyes flickered. “So she didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?” 

Aoma released a callous chuckle. “Come on, Kyoshi. You really think someone like Rangi would want to date someone like you?”

“An orphan,” Jae sneered. 

“A poor orphan,” Suzu added eloquently. 

Those were facts, and nothing Kyoshi hadn’t heard before. But Aoma was holding back something new. Kyoshi felt like she would have wrung Aoma’s neck to get the truth out of her glossed lips. Instead, she settled for a low voice. “What do you know?”

Aoma flipped her wavy hair over one shoulder, saying casually, “It was a bet, Kyoshi. We told Rangi that if she took you to prom, we’d pay her 200 dollars.” Her smile became vicious. “Of course, even that almost wasn’t enough to convince her.”

Her mouth felt dry. Kyoshi had grown accustomed to picking out Aoma’s lies, but this time, her face showed no tell. She was sincere, if not wickedly pleased with herself. 

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she turned before they fell. She refused to give them more satisfaction. Kyoshi forced herself to relax as she walked towards the exit. As far as anyone could see, she was just going to the bathroom. 

The school hallways held a different aura at night. There was no glaring fluorescence, no crowd of backpacks and sneakers. Her vision narrowed to the stairwell, and she shoved against the door so hard that the lip-locked couples within jumped. 

She had hoped to be alone, but refused to back down from her decision. Kyoshi disappeared, past their staring faces, around the corner to the next floor. Before she reached the top step, tears cascaded down her cheeks. Kyoshi turned and perched on the stair, wrapping her arms around her knees. 

She had to try and think straight. Focus. Aoma must have been lying. That was the only logical conclusion. 

Her mind raced to that day, when Rangi first approached her in the library. Rangi had commented on the book she was reading. Now, Kyoshi couldn’t even remember what the book was called, just Rangi’s face, illuminated by the soft afternoon light. 

She pulled her knees to her chest, filing through memories of the last two months: late study nights, trips to the diner, anime marathons. The sound of Rangi’s laugh, the pressure of her lips…

Kyoshi heard the stairwell door open, followed by the scuffling of the couples. Only one thing could make them scatter so quickly. 

“Kyoshi?” Rangi’s voice called. “Are you there?”

She said nothing, but her sniffles betrayed her location. 

Rangi paused, then said, “I uh… talked to Aoma. She told me…” Rangi sighed. “I- I don’t know what to-”

“Is it true?” Kyoshi’s voice sounded colder than she intended. 

“... Yeah. It’s true.”

Kyoshi buried her face in her arms, struggling to steady her breathing.

“But it’s not like that, Kyoshi! I promise, I never meant to-”

“Never meant to what?” Kyoshi stood, fueled by rage as she rounded the stairwell and pierced Rangi with her eyes. “To lead me on? Lie to me?”

Rangi climbed the steps towards her, hands out. “Please, don’t be angry, I didn’t-”

“Don’t tell me what to feel!” Her lip curled. “And don’t come any closer!”

Rangi froze. She was only a few steps away. At the close distance, Kyoshi could see the wetness in her bronze eyes, but found no sympathy within herself. “Kyoshi-”

“You know, Rangi, if you wanted to make fun of me, you could have at least had the courtesy to do it to my face like everyone else.” 

This time, Rangi said nothing. She searched Kyoshi’s face, then silently knelt in front of her. “I’m sorry.”

Kyoshi’s fury softened at the sight. Her hands trembled, and she sank wearily onto the top step. “Why?” she said quietly. 

“Because… I liked you.”

Kyoshi’s breath caught in her throat. Her shaking hands went still. 

Rangi said, “You… you always said the right answer in class. Even though the teacher didn’t call on you that much. I would see Aoma picking on you, but you never gave in to her. Just stood strong and… grounded.” Her voice became quieter. “I… really admired that about you.”

Admirable. Kyoshi never thought anyone would describe her that way. 

“I overheard them one day,” Rangi said. “Aoma and her cronies. They were talking about who they should place the bet with. I knew if I didn’t put myself in their line of vision, they would choose someone who would really hurt you.” She winced. “Though… I guess you got hurt either way.”

Kyoshi raised her head slightly, peering at Rangi.

She continued. “Everything I said was just to play along. I’d already decided that if you didn’t like me back, I wouldn’t even ask about prom. I’d tell Aoma the truth and threaten to beat her up if she ever pulled that shit again.” Rangi let out a harsh chuckle at the thought. “But then… you and I started hanging out. You were so interesting, and funny, and…” 

“... Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Rangi looked at her, relieved to hear her voice again. “I should have! I know, but I wanted to wait until after prom. After I…” She ran her hand behind her neck sheepishly. “After I bought you a really fancy dinner.”

Kyoshi scoffed, but the sound held no anger. 

“Look…” Rangi rose onto the top step, sitting beside Kyoshi. “I know… I know how bad they treated you. The way they still treat you. There were so many times I wanted to intervene, but I never did.” She grimaced. “I just walked by, left you to face them alone. And when I heard them talking about it… I thought of this whole thing as a sneakier way to fight. For you.”

“You don’t have to fight for me.”

“But I do, Kyoshi.” Rangi took her hand, bronze eyes gazing intently into hers. “And I will. Because you are worth fighting for.”

Kyoshi removed her fingers from Rangi’s grasp. Her betrayal was still too fresh. “I’m sorry, I just… I don’t know if I can trust you.” She averted her eyes. “How am I supposed to know that you’re not just saying this? That after tonight, you won’t just leave?”

Rangi paused, mind racing. She took a breath of finality, rising to her feet and outstretching her hand. “Come on.”

Rangi briefly returned to the gym, but rather than stay by the door, Kyoshi went to the bathroom to wait. She was surprised to see her makeup mostly unsmudged, save for a few lines. Kyoshi fixed her appearance as best as she could, exiting the bathroom to see Rangi leaning against the wall. Rangi took Kyoshi’s hand and said, “They’re meeting us after the next song.”

The front entrance of the school was unguarded. The concrete steps rose in a semi-circle around the doors, with a bronze statue of a fox, the school mascot, in the center. Kyoshi and Rangi stood behind the statue facing the school, spines straight, hands clasped. 

Within minutes, Aoma, Jae, and Suzu appeared. They stalked towards them in their same positions as before, with Aoma in the center. She stopped several feet away, hands on her hips as she raised an eyebrow. “No… don’t tell me.” Her tone was more mocking than shocked. “Really, Rangi? I didn’t take you for the pity date type.”

Rangi’s free hand clenched into a fist. “It’s not a pity date, Aoma. Kyoshi’s my girlfriend.”

Aoma rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Your Stockholm syndrome isn’t my problem.” She snapped her fingers at Jae. “Here’s your money.”

Jae reached into his jacket, pulling out a short stack of 20 dollar bills. He tossed them on the ground at Rangi and Kyoshi’s feet. Kyoshi frowned at the paper. She should have felt humiliated, but instead she was disappointed by the small amount. 

“Keep it,” Rangi spat. “That’s not why I asked you out here.”

Aoma’s concerned glance at Rangi’s fist did not go unnoticed by Kyoshi. “Then why are you wasting our time?”

Rangi squeezed Kyoshi’s hand once before letting go, reaching for the phone in her pocket. She opened a video, stretching her hand out to show Aoma. Kyoshi didn’t see the contents, but she heard loud music, a sniffing noise, and cheering. Aoma’s face went white. 

“You… You wouldn’t…” Aoma said. 

“Not cool, Rangi,” Jae growled, coming to Aoma’s defense. “We didn’t have to invite you to our parties.”

“Oh, but I’m so glad you did,” Rangi said sarcastically, swiping a few times on the phone screen. Another video began to play, and this time Kyoshi heard a crowd cheering the word “Chug!”, followed by a loud crash. 

Jae’s jaw stiffened, but he kept quiet. 

Rangi glanced at Suzu. “I got yours too; wanna see?”

Suzu’s face flushed. “No, I uh… I believe you.”

Rangi huffed victoriously, placing her phone back in her pocket. “Trust me, there’s plenty more where that came from. See, the fun thing about you three is that you like to brag. I have pages and pages worth of text conversations, about your parties, your exam cheat sheets, the bet-”

“Who cares about the fucking bet!” Aoma snarled, her usual aloof composure wrecked by anger. She pointed a manicured nail at Kyoshi. “You think anybody gives a shit about her?!”

“I do,” Rangi said in a low, threatening voice. 

Aoma, empowered by her rage, said, “Just get to the fucking point already. If you don’t want the money, Rangi, then what the fuck do you want?”

“I want you to leave Kyoshi alone.” Rangi narrowed her eyes. “I don’t want you to hurt her ever again.”

Aoma scoffed. “So that’s what this is about.” She crossed her arms. “You know Rangi, I don’t get you. You were living the dream with us; you could have picked any tall girl you wanted, and you’re going to throw it all away for this freak.”

Rangi took a single step forward, but the action was enough to make the three bullies flinch. “Don’t call her that. See, that’s the kind of shit I’m talking about. Either that ends tonight-” She lifted her phone out of her pocket. “-or say goodbye to your trust fund.”

“You bitch!” Jae leapt forward, tackling Rangi against the pavement. She clung tight to her phone, sliding it towards Kyoshi as Jae grappled her arm. Kyoshi snatched the phone, looking up to see Aoma and Suzu prowling towards her. 

Jae straddled Rangi, his legs pinning her arms to the ground, and swung at her face. His knuckles collided with her temple, and her head crashed against the concrete. 

“Rangi!” Kyoshi moved to help, but Aoma and Suzu closed in, surrounding her. 

Aoma hissed, “If you don’t give me that phone, Kyoshi, I will ruin your life. Your little girlfriend might need receipts, but I don’t. It doesn’t matter what I tell the school. They’ll take my word over yours any day.”

She could give in. Give them the phone, survive today. Kyoshi had faced the choice so many times before, and always chose neutral jing. 

Kyoshi grit her teeth. “No.” 

Aoma’s face contorted with fury, and she hurled her open palm towards Kyoshi’s cheek. Kyoshi blocked Aoma’s wrist with her own, delivering a swift punch to her diaphragm. Aoma staggered back, gasping for breath. 

Kyoshi glanced at Rangi. Jae was now pinned beneath her, Rangi delivering one final blow before she stood. Jae scrambled to his feet, cowering behind Aoma. Suzu had disappeared, retreating to the safety of the school. Aoma’s breath came ragged, murder burning in her eyes. 

“Enough of this.” Everyone’s eyes landed on Kyoshi, and she realized the stern voice belonged to her. She paused for a moment, but steeled herself and continued, “We’re done here.”

Aoma growled, “No, we’re-” but stopped dead when Rangi held up her fists. She pressed her lips together, shooting them each one more glare before she huffed. “Come on, Jae.” Aoma slunk back towards the school, Jae trailing meekly behind her as he muttered something about going home.

Before Kyoshi could move, Rangi was in front of her, checking her face. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” Kyoshi said with a smile. Her finger traced Rangi’s swollen temple, causing her to wince. “Are you?”

“I’ve had worse.” Rangi frowned, murmuring, “I’m sorry. For everything. I know this was all… a lot, and I didn’t-”

Kyoshi cut Rangi off with a kiss. They relaxed for a moment, relishing in the warmth of each other. Kyoshi finally broke away, grinning as she pressed her forehead to Rangi’s. “Don’t worry,” she said, removing Rangi’s phone and a wad of cash from her dress pocket. “At least you made it worth my while.”

Rangi gaped. “But… You…”

“Come on.” Kyoshi took her hand, pulling her back towards the school. 

“You want to go back in?” Rangi asked, trotting to keep up with her long strides. 

Kyoshi had spent her whole life waiting and listening. Now, she was ready to act. “It’s prom, Rangi.” She smirked, kissing her girlfriend’s knuckles. “And I want to dance with you.”


	6. The Moon - Yueki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Suki makes a choice that will save the world, but at a steep price. But what she must lose, Yue is grateful to gain. Also they totally fall in love.   
> Based on the song "Hijo de la Luna" by Mecano

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God I'm so hungover. I'd rewritten this like 3 times bc I couldn't settle on what ship I should do. The farthest I got in a WIP for it was a Korrasami fic where they make the baby deal, then they figure out like a co-parenting thing with Yue. I really like the way this turned out tho. 
> 
> If you haven't heard the song this is based on, it slaps. Kudos and comment please! Love and stuff!

Night became necessary for Suki. Her days belonged to the Fire Lord and officials, ensuring the Kyoshi Warriors were at their posts. The only time she had for herself was bathed in darkness, when she scaled the walls of the palace and perched on the tiled roof. Most nights, she was content to sit under the stars, letting the sky swallow her whole. 

This was not one of those nights. Suki pulled her knees closer to her chest, her eyes downcast. Around anyone else, even her warriors, such a vulnerable posture would betray her, compromise her strength in their eyes. She could only let down her guard when she was alone. 

A cloud drifted past the strongest source of light. Suki looked up at the full moon, relaxing in the silver glow. Well, she was almost alone. 

“Hey Yue,” Suki said. “Me again. How are you?”

She was met with silence. Suki never received an answer from the elusive moon spirit, but she made sure to ask anyway. “I’m sorry, but I don’t really have any good news. Everything’s still the same. Fire Lord Zuko’s been bedridden for nearly a week now. Yesterday, he looked like he was getting better, but his fever went up again today.” Suki paused, unsure how to proceed. “Aang is a wreck. Katara has barely slept. She and the other healers have been working to find a cure, but so far they haven’t succeeded.”

Suki slid her hands down her calves, the fingers of her left hand gently grasping the wrist of her right. “I um… I overheard some officials in the hall. They were talking about who's next in line just in case…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “They mentioned Azula’s name, but she’s still recovering. She won’t be able to run the nation in her state. Which leaves… no one.

“I know what happens when there’s no one to take the throne. I’ve read about coups before, and even all of my warriors wouldn’t be enough to stop the Fire Nation officials, or at least,” Suki said darkly, “whoever poisoned Zuko.” 

A breeze ruffled her hair. In the distance, far beyond the palace walls, a dog barked. And still, the moon said nothing. 

Suki pressed her lips together, fighting back the wave of feelings. Tears already welled in her eyes as she said, “And… I don’t know what to do.” She looked skyward, her cheeks wet. “I know… you grew up during the war too, Yue. We all did. I don’t know what it was like in the Northern Water Tribe, but for the rest of us…” Suki began to shake, her voice trembling. “I don’t want it to happen again. It can’t. I don’t think the world could survive another war. 

“And it’s not just that, it’s…” She began sobbing, burying her face in her knees. She whispered hoarsely, “Zuko’s my friend. And I don’t want him to die.”

Suki wept openly, letting the feelings tear through her. She had spent countless hours fending them off, forcing through the pain. She had to be a leader, to stay positive in front of everyone. Now, she could release those thoughts, each ragged breath a testament to her fear.

A hand pressed against her back, gliding gently across her shoulders in a show of comfort. Suki froze. Who could have followed her this high up? Maybe the Avatar?

She lifted her face, the cold light spilling across her features. Her mouth dropped. 

A girl sat beside her. Physically, she looked to be 16, but her eyes betrayed centuries of knowledge. Her white clothing contrasted her dark skin, the fabric floating around her. Her white hair was pulled into two loops, a water tribe band holding the style in place. The girl smiled, a hint of uncertainty in her blue eyes. “Hello Suki.”

Suki’s breath escaped her in a single word. “Yue!” She tried not to gawk, reigning in her expression like she did around the Fire Nation officials. Unsure how to address a spirit, Suki rose to her feet and bowed respectfully. 

Yue remained seated, nodding. “Please, sit.”

“Yes, your… spiritness.” Suki lowered herself onto the tile, crossing her legs beneath her and keeping her spine straight. 

“No, just… call me Yue. Please.” Yue considered her carefully. “I suppose you’re wondering why I’m here.”

“Yes. I am.” Blood rushed to Suki’s cheeks as she began to think. After the war, she’d spent countless nights beneath the moon’s glow, pouring out the feelings that she couldn’t share with anyone else. What had Yue heard? What secrets did she spill by accident?

“I know this must be a shock for you,” Yue murmured. “But… I know everything that’s going on. About Zuko, the poisoning, and I want to help.”

No amount of diplomacy training could stop Suki from staring. “You… want to help? I thought spirits didn’t interfere with human affairs.”

“I’m not all spirit,” Yue said. “I actually used to be human. Part of me still is. And as someone who used to live in the material world, I want to do something to protect it.”

Suki had heard the story before, of the water tribe princess who sacrificed herself to become the moon spirit. Yue’s act had been described like death. She never thought Yue had retained any of her humanity, much less enough to intervene. 

“How?” Suki asked. 

“Well, I actually can’t do it alone. You see, the moon spirit has the power to grant a wish.” She hesitated. “But at a steep price.”

Suki searched her face, trying to guess what a spirit could want, or even possess. “Anything.”

Turning her head, almost ashamed, Yue murmured, “For someone to get help from the moon spirit, they must give up their first born child.”

Dread washed over Suki. “Zuko can’t. His first born child… He needs an heir.”

Yue nodded slowly. “Anyone can make the wish to heal him. Anyone can make the deal.”

A thought struck her. One that put the sour taste of martyrdom in her mouth. She had told her pupils a thousand times: the greatest strength of a Kyoshi Warrior is her warrior’s heart, because not all battles needed weapons. 

Suki straightened her arms, hands on her knees, and she took a deep breath. “I’ll do it. In exchange for his life, I’ll give you my first born child.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Yue bowed her head reverently. “Consider it done.” Suki expected her to disappear, but instead Yue leaned forward and embraced her. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “But also… thank you…” 

Her skin was cold, but Suki didn’t mind. Without thinking, she lifted her arms around Yue. The moon spirit stiffened at the human contact, then relaxed into her embrace. Yue pressed her nose into the crook of her neck. 

Suki asked, “Why do you say that?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you thank me?”

“Oh!” Yue pulled away, averting her eyes. “I… Sorry, that was inappropriate.” She tucked a loose strand of white hair behind her ear. “I know it will pain you to lose the child, but… it gets lonely, up there.” She nodded towards the full moon. 

Suki searched Yue’s blue eyes. She realized the opportunity she’d been granted. After years of telling Yue all of her secrets, now she could return the favor. “Why don’t you tell me about it?”

Yue frowned. “What… it’s boring. Really.”

“Come on,” Suki said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. “You already know everything about me. Now I want to know about you.”

“Oh.” Yue glanced at the sky, biting her lip. “Well… I guess I could stay for a few minutes…”

* * *

Violet dawn crept over the horizon. Yue surrendered to the hour, wrapping her arms around Suki again. Their laughter still hung in the air around them.

Suki murmured, “Will I see you again?”

“Only once, when you…” Yue paused. “When you… finish the deal.”

The thought sent a jolt through Suki. Over the last several hours, she’d forgotten the terms. Yue was such a lovely distraction. 

“Goodbye, Suki,” Yue whispered, and her form disintegrated. 

Suki lowered her hands. Yue’s smell lingered on her clothing, the soft scent of moss. When the first beams of sunlight touched Suki’s skin, she still faced the space Yue had taken up. She waited a few more seconds, exhaustion setting in. 

In the palace below, someone shouted Zuko’s name. Suki rose to her feet. She would go see him. Katara would cry, Aang would hug her. None of them would ever know the cost of his recovery. 

Suki looked at the moon, still hovering in the morning sky. Then she descended.

* * *

The hills of Kyoshi Island were short relative to other ranges in the Earth Kingdom. The highest point on the island was shorter than the lowest in the nearby Patola Mountains, home of the now empty Southern Air Temple. This summit was named Hei-Ran Peak, after the mother of Avatar Kyoshi’s wife. A wooden hovel had been constructed on the flat top. Rumors said Kyoshi would meet with her enemies here, away from civilians. 

Suki sat several yards in front of the hovel, legs crossed, facing west to watch the sunset. The winds of early spring bit at her, but the bundle strapped across her chest kept her warm. The trek to this spot had rocked the child to sleep, and she could feel his steady breathing. 

A few minutes passed, then an hour. The sun and all it’s light disappeared. The stars became visible, and Suki saw her shadow lengthened by a brightness behind her. She remained seated, still. 

A hand pressed against her back, gliding gently across her shoulders in a show of comfort. Suki relaxed into the touch, rising to her feet and facing Yue. Two years had passed since their first meeting, but the moon spirit hadn’t aged at all.

Yue grinned, almost sheepishly. “Hello Suki.”

“Hey Yue. How are you?”

For the first time, she got an answer. “I’m good,” Yue said with a smile. 

Suki wasn’t sure how to proceed. She felt like there must be some ritual, some rite she had to perform, but hours of research on the subject had revealed nothing. Apparently, very few individuals in the history of the world had accepted the deal with the moon. “I brought him.”

Yue’s eyes widened, and she reached a hand towards the bundle across Suki’s chest. “Is this him?”

“Yep.” Suki carefully removed the fabric concealing his face. 

Yue leaned in, gasping at the sight. The infant had the dark skin of a water tribe descendant, with snow white hair. He slept soundly. 

“He’s… he’s beautiful,” Yue said. “Who’s the father?”

Suki chuckled to herself. The question was fair, but that part of the process had been the easiest. “Sokka.”

Yue froze, meeting Suki’s eyes. “Oh? I thought you two weren’t...”

“We’re not, but we kept in touch after the break up. Besides, I thought if you had the choice, that’s who you would have gone with.” Suki gazed down at the boy. Though she’d known his fate for years, no amount of preparation could soften the upcoming loss. “So um… how does this work?”

“We don’t have to do it right now,” Yue said. “I was thinking maybe we could… talk? Like last time?”

Relief washed over Suki. Not once in the last few years had Yue left her thoughts. In her dreams, she still heard the sound of Yue’s laughter, smelled her mossy scent. Suki outstretched her hand, indicating the hovel. “I can make us some tea?”

The night passed easily. Yue told Suki that the tea was delicious, withholding the fact that she’d long lost her sense of taste. A few hours in, the child woke up crying, and Suki showed Yue how to change his cloths and feed him. Yue learned diligently, though in the spirit world, he would not need any of those things. 

The three of them laid together on a bamboo mat, the boy in the middle. Yue had not stopped smiling, her eyes on the boy. Suki trained her gaze on Yue instead, focusing on her face, filling in the gaps of her memory. 

“Did you name him?” Yue asked.

“No. I thought you would want to.”

Yue considered for a moment. “How about Arnook? After my father?”

“You don’t have to ask me,” Suki said with a smile. “But that is a good name.”

A moment of stillness passed. 

“He made the deal, didn’t he?” Suki asked. “Both of your parents did.”

Yue pressed her lips together, her eyes solemn. “Yes.”

“But you grew up in the human world.”

“When I was born, the spirits gave my father a vision. He knew I would become the moon spirit,” Yue said. “So… he negotiated with the moon. I would get sixteen years in the material world, then spend the rest of eternity as a spirit.”

Suki nodded thoughtfully. “I see.”

A thought crossed Yue’s mind. “Did you want to? Negotiate, I mean.”

“No,” Suki said, tracing her fingers over the baby’s small hand. “He was never my son. Always yours.”

“He could be yours, too.”

Suki frowned at her. “What?”

Yue shifted, leaning on her elbow. “You could pass over to the spirit world, live with us there. Humans have done it before.” She tilted her head. “Actually, I know someone who is planning to, when his time here is done.”

“Who?”

“Zuko’s uncle, Iroh.”

“Iroh?” Suki’s eyes widened. “How do you know that?”

Yue smirked. “You think you’re the only one who talks to the moon?”

Heat raced across Suki’s face, but she pushed through the embarrassment. “Oh.”

“Do you want to? Live with us?” 

Yue looked at her so earnestly that Suki hated her next set of words. “I can’t, Yue. At least, not yet.” She sighed. “I still have work here, unfinished business.”

“Ah. I see.” Yue’s face fell. “Well, when you’re done… come find me.”

Suki grinned. “That won’t be a problem. You’re hard to miss.”

“How dare you.” A playful look flickered across Yue’s features. “It’s not polite to comment on a lady’s weight.”

They chuckled together. In a movement so natural that Suki felt she was born to make it, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Yue’s. The kiss was soft, not hungry or needing, and Yue hummed contentedly. 

“The sun’s about to rise,” Yue whispered against her lips. 

“Damn.”

Yue scoffed, pulling away. “Not in front of the baby.”

“He can’t understand me,” Suki said, leaning in and kissing Yue again. 

“Suki,” Yue giggled. “I have to go.” She ran her fingers through Suki’s hair, murmuring, “I’ll see you again?”

“Of course.”

Yue reached for Arnook, taking the baby into her arms. “Say goodbye, Arnook.”

He gurgled at Suki, and she held up her hand in a lame wave as a response. 

“Goodbye, Suki.”

“Goodbye-” but both Yue and Arnook had already disappeared. 

Suki rolled onto her back, gazing up at the ceiling of the hovel. Sunlight peeked through a few holes in the wood. She closed her eyes, and slept.


	7. Dancing - Korrasami

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Weeks have passed since Korra's ship was wrecked. Good thing she has a mermaid to keep her company.  
> Pirate/Mermaid AU  
> CW: Alcohol

_The sea was at war with the sky, and Korra was trapped on the battlefield. Waves buffeted the sides of her wooden dinghy. She struggled just to sit upright amidst the storm, nevermind trying to paddle. Lightning flickered and she caught a brief glimpse of the distant island._

_A voice came from below. Another flash of light revealed the pale, wet face of a girl in the water. The girl said something, eyes wide and panicked. She pointed behind the dinghy. Korra turned to see a rearing tower of seawater. The wave seemed to hover for a moment, relishing the attack, before slamming into the boat._

Korra flinched, eyes snapping open. Her back was pressed against the sand, cooled from the shade of the palm grove. Her last memory was of the afternoon sun filtering through the leaves. Now the light came from the west, the sun slowly dipping towards night. 

She cursed, annoyed that she had wasted so much of the day. Korra stood and stretched, wiping sand off of her loose white shirt and breeches. She made her way through the trees, towards the lagoon. Her stomach growled, sensing the fading light. 

A large boulder rested in the shallow edge of the lagoon, flat on top with smaller offspring at its base. Korra reached beneath the rocks, removing a hidden spear. She yawned and stepped into the still water. Fish darted away from her bare feet, but her stillness would soon bring them back. 

Minutes passed in silence, the tip of the spear hovered over the lagoon’s surface. Korra saw fins and thrust downward. The fish disappeared, unscathed. 

She muttered to herself, steadying again. Patience was never one of her strong suits, especially when she was hungry. 

Eventually, a few more fish returned to her side of the lagoon. One of them came within arm’s reach, but this time, she waited. The kill would need to be closer, surer. 

An unknown disturbance scattered the fish. Korra growled in frustration and stabbed at the water frantically, efforts fruitless but satisfying. She looked for the disruption, but instead saw a spout of water aimed for her face.

_Splash!_ Korra sputtered and fell back, landing hard in the shallows. She glared at her assailant from beneath her wet brown hair. A young woman laughed at her from the lagoon, laying on her stomach in the water with shoulders just above the surface. 

“Asami, I was hunting!”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Asami chuckled. She slightly raised the lower half of her body above the water. Her crimson fish tail glimmered in the dying sunlight. 

Korra rose with a string of muttered curses. “I fell asleep and lost the afternoon. I need to get something to eat before the sun-”

“Something like this?” Asami held up a waterlogged basket, filled with three conchs.

* * *

The moon was half full, casting the island in a silver glow. The only other light came from a small, dying fire, surrounded by empty conch shells. Korra sat between the embers and Asami, plucking at a stringed instrument. Asami propped herself on her elbow, long tail stretching to the sea. In her fingers, she held a sandy bottle of rum. 

_Pling, pling, pling_. Korra continued to tune, knowing that the lingering water damage would prevent a perfect sound. Once she was satisfied with the base notes, she began to pick a melody. “So this one, I learned from this Scotsman during-”

“What’s a Scotsman?” Asami asked.

“It just means he was from Scotland. It’s an island in Europe.”

“Europe.” Asami nodded thoughtfully. “That’s where England is?”

“Yes; Scotland is a little north of England. The man who taught us this one had a big bushy red beard.” Korra nodded towards Asami’s fins. “Almost as red as your tail.”

Asami giggled, gazing at Korra as the latter began to sing.

“There is a young maiden who lives all alone  
She lives all alone on the shore-o  
There's nothing she can find to comfort her mind  
But to roam all alone on the shore shore shore  
But to roam all alone on the shore…”

Asami smiled and lifted the rum bottle to her lips. She’d found a sunken stash in a shipwreck days ago, so the liquid tasted more of salt and sand than alcohol. Asami wondered if she would prefer it that way once she had her first drink on dry land. _If I ever have one_ , she thought sourly. She shuddered and pushed away the thoughts, focusing on Korra’s rough and often out of tune voice. 

“Well your men was not crazy your men was not mad  
I… don’t quite remember the words-o.  
Something your sailors... I tricked? No… deluded! Your… self…”

Korra heard Asami’s giggles, feeling the warmth on her cheeks. She grinned, strumming the instrument faster as she punctuated the final notes. 

“I'm a maiden again on the shore shore shore  
I'm a maiden again on the shooooooore.”

Asami applauded, Korra bowing though she remained seated. 

“Thank you, thank you.” Korra took a swig of the rum, making a face at the salty taste. “Bleh. Alright, what next?”

“Do you miss it?”

Korra frowned at her. “Miss what?”

“Just… any of it. Sailing, being around other people, other…” Her face fell. “Humans.”

Korra raised an eyebrow, unsure where she was going with this. “I do miss it,” she said slowly, picking her words. “But honestly, I like it here.”

“But you don’t belong.” Asami looked to the sea. “You belong with people.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to be with people. At least, not right now.” Korra took another swig and set the bottle in the sand. “Besides, we had a deal, right? Once you find a way to become human, we’ll sail together for Nassau.”

Asami pressed her lips together, gazing to the horizon. The stars ended abruptly against the black sea. She had swum the route before to ensure they would have enough supplies for the journey, yet doubt still clouded her mind. The one setback to their plan: “What… what if there isn’t a way for me to become human?”

Though she had never spoken the question out loud, both of them had considered the possibility before. Other than what Asami had told her, Korra knew nothing about merfolk or their magic. She just assumed that Asami had a plan, or at least a lead. Now, after seeing the uncertainty flood Asami’s features, Korra realized the truth. 

“There will be,” Korra reassured her. Her words sounded empty, but she hated to see Asami so dejected. “Maybe. Probably.”

Asami cast her a playful glare. “What do you mean ‘maybe’?”

“Look, I’m not the one with a tail here.” Asami swiped sand towards her. Korra held up her arms to block the attack, laughing. “But there’s probably a way!”

Asami rolled her eyes. “Right.” Her fingers absently worked at the rim of the bottle. 

Korra caught herself staring again, an occurrence that happened more frequently now. When they first met, she told herself over and over that merfolk were notoriously beautiful. Asami was no exception, with her angular features, pear-colored eyes, and black hair that, when dry, fell across her shoulders in soft waves. 

However, Korra had learned in the last several weeks that Asami was much more than her face. After the storm, she had carried Korra to the island, given her food, and brought her supplies from shipwrecks. Korra knew she would not have survived this long without her help. 

“Korra?”

“Yeah?”

Asami looked at her sheepishly. “Do you think…” She seemed on the precipice of a question, but held back. Instead, she asked, “Do you think you could play that one song? The ‘Oh me, oh my’ song?”

Korra cracked a smile. “Of course.” She began to strum, singing,

“Well it was on this Monday morning  
And the day be calm and fine  
To the Harbour Grace excursion  
With the boys to have a time  
And just before the sailor  
Took the gangway from the pier  
I saw some fella haul me wife  
Aboard as a volunteer.”

She froze before the chorus, an idea blooming in her mind. 

Asami raised an eyebrow at her. “Why’d you stop? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just that… well…” Korra’s lips curled into a wicked smirk. “This is more of a dancing song.”

“Oh,” Asami said, her face falling again. “Sorry… You could play- Eek!”

Korra had tossed the instrument aside, her arms reaching beneath Asami’s back and tail. She hoisted Asami into the air, carrying her bridal style as she charged towards the sea. 

“Korra, what are you- put me down!” Asami managed between laughs. 

Korra’s feet splashed in the shallow water, the surface rising around them as she ran into the sea. When the water was up to Korra’s chest, she released Asami. “Come on. You’re going to dance with me.”

“What?” Asami flicked her tail so that she was upright. “But… I can’t, I don’t have legs.”

“Then I’ll dance, and you hold on,” Korra said, entwining her fingers with Asami’s. She guided Asami’s left hand to her shoulder, clasping her right just above the surface. Korra gently pressed her other hand to Asami’s waist, and Asami’s breath hitched at the contact. Korra gave her a comforting look, asking, “Are you ready?”

“I suppose so,” Asami said, shaking her head in amusement.

Korra stepped with her right foot, limbs bogged down by the weight of the sea. She sang the chorus at a slower tempo to match her movements. 

“Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife cry  
Oh me, oh my, I think I'm gonna die!  
Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife say,  
"I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay, hey!"

As she continued to dance, Korra adjusted to the water. During the next verse, she tilted her shoulders in time, dipping their clasped hands beneath the surface. At the end of the phrase, she stepped back, holding Asami’s fingers at arm’s length. “Alright, this time, you’re going to spin.”

Asami shot her a look of concern mingled with excitement. “Oh?”

“Here, let’s practice.” Korra lifted one of her hands, still joined with Asami’s. “Now spin.”

Asami twisted her tail beneath the water, sending her into a violent spiral. The area just above her fin whacked against Korra’s calf, and Korra gasped in pain. Asami pulled away, fingers pressed to her nose. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Korra, are you hurt?”

Korra managed a weak smile. She knew a bruise would be waiting for her in the morning. “I’m fine, just startled me.” She took Asami’s hand again. “Let’s try it slower this time.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Asami,” Korra said. “If you’re going to be human, you have to learn to dance.”

Realization illuminated Asami’s features, and she could barely contain the smile that spread across her face. This time, she spun too slow, nearly toppling over. After a few more tries, she finally found a happy medium of speed and grace. 

Korra grinned, continuing to sing the song in her off-key and now off-tempo voice. Above them, the half moon glowed, it’s light reflecting off the black waves. Asami spun again, fingers trailing in the water and sending a shower of silver around her body. 

The last chorus approached too quickly. Korra considered making up new verses so that she’d have an excuse to keep Asami in her arms. A different plan took form in her head as she sang the last few words. 

“Oh me, oh my, I heard me old wife say,  
"I wish I'd never taken this excursion around the bay, hey!"

They paused, Asami hovering in the water as Korra caught her breath. Asami realized that Korra’s hand was still on her waist, their fingers still intertwined. She cleared her throat. “So um… are there any more steps?”

A jolt raced through Korra. Her eyes wandered to Asami’s mouth, slightly parted from the dance. “Well… traditionally, after a dance, you… well it’s an option, you don’t have to…”

Asami felt a calm wave against her back, like the sea itself was pushing her closer. “What is it?”

“The uh… dance partners will share a… a kiss.”

Their faces were only inches apart. Asami scoffed playfully. “Oh really? Where is this tradition from?”

“Y-you know,” Korra said feebly, leaning closer. Their noses brushed together. “Here… now…”

Asami closed the distance, pressing her lips to Korra’s. She tasted of salt and sand and rum. Asami moved her hands, entwining her arms behind Korra’s neck. Korra reached around her waist, pulling her closer. 

A bright light emanated from the seawater beneath them, but both were too enveloped in each other to notice or care. A few moments later, Asami stiffened. She jerked back, gasping. 

Korra frowned at her, searching her suddenly pale face. The sight reminded her of a line from the song,

_My wife she got no better, she turned a sickly green…_

“Asami? What is it?” Korra’s mind raced. Had she done something wrong? Taken things too far too fast?

Asami wordlessly turned and swam towards land. Korra followed, concerned at her slow pace. Asami usually zipped through the water, propelled by her powerful tail. 

When the surface came up to Korra’s knees, Asami rolled over so that she was sitting, the lower half of her body still under the black water. Korra knelt beside her. “Please, Asami, speak to me. Is everything okay?” She looked deep into her eyes, but Asami held up a finger and pointed towards the sea. Korra turned her head. 

Where Asami’s tail should have been, two white feet poked above the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2021, year of the sea shanty. The songs from this fic are:
> 
> Maid on the Shore (Stan Rogers version is the OG)  
> Excursion Around the Bay (HIGHLY recommend the Derina Harvey Band version)
> 
> Really enjoyed writing these fics; big fan of all these ladies. This year, I'm going to be one of the writers for the Zutaraang Zine (details are here: https://zutaraangzine.tumblr.com/ ), so please check it out when it's available. 
> 
> If you enjoyed this fic or any of the others, please leave kudos/a comment. Love and stuff!


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